Drawer-retracting mechanism.



W. E. HARTBECK.

DRAWER RETRACTING WIECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED FEB.l I9. I9I

WILLIAM E. HAlRTiBECK, vOlli MANCHESTER, MICHIGAN.

DRAWER-RIRACTIN G MECHANISM.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2%, 1917.

Applieadtion led February 19, 1917, Serial No. 149,599.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. Harrr- BEGK, a citizen of the Unitedl States, residing at Manchester, in the Lcounty of Washtenaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drawer-Retracting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in drawer retracting mechanism; and it is an object of theinvention to provide novel and improved means whereby the drawers may be automatically retracted.

It is also an object of the invention to pro-l vide amovel` and improved device of this general character whereby the drawers may be held against movement under the influence of the retracting means therefor.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of'my improved mechanism whereby certain important advantages areattained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention 'may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is an elevational view of an article of furniture constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken through the device as herein embodied.

As herein disclosed, I illustrate an article of furniture of a bureau or chiifonnier type and wherein is embodied the housing or frame structure H of any ordinary or preferred type and with which coacts the slidingdrawers D. The drawers D are mounted for movement within the housing or frame H in any desired manner.

Positioned rearwardly of each of the drawers D and supported by the side walls 1 of the housing or frame H is the board 2. At substantially its center the board 2 is provided with an opening 3 and arranged substantially within said opening 3^are the ID and is disposed over a pulley 6 suspended from the top 7 of the housing or frame H. The member F then extends downwardly and has secured to its free end the weighted member 8.

The flexible member F is also extended around the pulleys 9 carried by the drawers D above the lower orbottom drawer and which pulley is preferably interposed between the pulleys 4 hereinbefore referred to.

rThe member 8 is of suchV weight as to serve to automatically cause the drawers D to assume a retracted or closed position as is believed to be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art and fully illustrated in Fig. 2 of the' accompanying drawings.

In order that the drawers D may be maintained open and held against the action of the member 8, I of a side wall 10 of each of the drawers with the notches 11 andwith which coacts the gravity pawl 12 suppo'rted by the housing or frame H preferably at a point adjacent the front thereof. 'lit is also preferred that each of the pawls 12 be provided with a tailpiece 14 extending exteriorly of the housing or frame H through a suitable opening 15 produced in the front thereof. Through the medium of the tail-piece 14 it is thought to be self-evident that when it is desired that a drawer assume a retracted or closed position, it is only necessary to depress the tailpiece la.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a drawer retracting mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled, and it will also provide'the upper margine() be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without members arranged in vertical alinement and mounted for sliding movement in substantially a horizontal path, a stationary vsupport positioned" rearwardly of each' of the members, guid members carried by said stationary members@ guide member supported independently of the sliding members and at a pointtheeabove, a flexible member secured tothe lowermost of said sliding members and positioned over A'the last named guiding memberyintermediate portions of said flexible member coacting with the guide members carried `by the stationary supports and slidably engaged with the first named f` members above the lowermost of said members, and a Weighted member engaged with with a series of notches spaced apart in the same general direction as the direction of Vtravel of the members, a stationary support positioned adjacent the members,` and portions carried by the stationary support and Yco-acting With the notches of. the members for holding the members against movement under the influence .of the' operating means therefor.y

In testimony wheienf -I hereuntoaix my signature in thevpresence of tyvo Witnesses.l

WILILIAM E. kHARTBEoK- m81 Witnesses:

F. T. LOWERY, JOHN Gaone Sonnerie.

copies of 'this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the "Commissionerpof rptentlg Wmmngtoml). i 

